Curiosity Shop

It probably comes as no surprise that I love vintage books. My favourites are those on natural history, and I love scouring dusty old bookshops for these treasures. And I guess it's a natural progression that some of my favourite painting subjects come from nature. I'm preparing for a solo exhibition later this year (very exciting! I'll share all the deets soon) and now that I'm almost rid of this rotten flu (three weeks and counting) I've been experimenting with some new ideas. Here's a look at a little watercolour study I've just finished:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ziUuTt-1AMft-T_oTPyNfuyO0kaQhU1l6BbZSos1uEO2EbuSyuyx-uA1JJh82eyhpmSorrjMYf9DFZrK0LqZRF4MlWRbm6cYYnX_nOAXHIrT4m5WWFrOw5z2zTvaYlhPrxpcSvW54L0U/s1600/fuze+butterfly+watermarked.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ziUuTt-1AMft-T_oTPyNfuyO0kaQhU1l6BbZSos1uEO2EbuSyuyx-uA1JJh82eyhpmSorrjMYf9DFZrK0LqZRF4MlWRbm6cYYnX_nOAXHIrT4m5WWFrOw5z2zTvaYlhPrxpcSvW54L0U/s400/fuze+butterfly+watermarked.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">'Petit Papillon'<br />watercolour on paper<br />210mm x 297mm (8" x 11")<br />prints for sale now in my <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/78643319/petit-papillon-new">Etsy shop</a></div><br />This is the first in a new series, and there are lots more to come. The colours are so gorgeous, and as well as these beautiful blues, there will be vibrant yellows, oranges, black and white - something for everyone. To me, these look best en mass, and I'll be framing the originals with simple, streamlined black frames to really make the colours pop. There are quite a few surprises that I'll reveal closer to the exhibition date (think big, bold and beautiful!), so if you'd like me to add you to my mailing list, drop me a line or message me, and you'll be the first to know.<br /><br />I've found a few pretty pics to give you an idea of how you can use paintings like these to make a real statement.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtB2Z0sbmtu6zIwgq5jGbCpviq0dQixbWgMpGgKmxpogygIeYGGNHAYh5HWJCCO2j1_EBrAtTFeIQWMef1yRrWbpKaHQhzov6SEcfU66jFc6wuPkvksN827RdcP__3a9gY-JHe8MTF5B9y/s1600/decor8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtB2Z0sbmtu6zIwgq5jGbCpviq0dQixbWgMpGgKmxpogygIeYGGNHAYh5HWJCCO2j1_EBrAtTFeIQWMef1yRrWbpKaHQhzov6SEcfU66jFc6wuPkvksN827RdcP__3a9gY-JHe8MTF5B9y/s640/decor8.jpg" width="470" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">via <a href="http://decor8blog.com/">decor8</a> - so pretty</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUeQ7aO66sICxOuzqog1pa4KblwbxVrad9MN6ye5nBvHUiy37suSmpeHeHSK6zd74hvk49ukvzllVlwZXICu7SXu2kZLodMmyl3VIlIEG6Bd0L1XPNKnTNWguCleXtRCIkMAoUZKUh4gtT/s1600/ballard+designs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUeQ7aO66sICxOuzqog1pa4KblwbxVrad9MN6ye5nBvHUiy37suSmpeHeHSK6zd74hvk49ukvzllVlwZXICu7SXu2kZLodMmyl3VIlIEG6Bd0L1XPNKnTNWguCleXtRCIkMAoUZKUh4gtT/s640/ballard+designs.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://ballarddesigns.com/">source</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiombbR6uwh2nSbky1Fs5vRAbMEoEKm0WPq0ddFV5cd6myZnLe2ZNc2ZDijeYAIYSAcdo6Txq9SAbtot9q4nltk2SDBAs-ifXf4TQeG5AD7_piozaH2yQCQaQRVtFDqwR_jgUWqmrW8Yqi7/s1600/by+Daniella+Helayel+on+dailymail.co.uk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiombbR6uwh2nSbky1Fs5vRAbMEoEKm0WPq0ddFV5cd6myZnLe2ZNc2ZDijeYAIYSAcdo6Txq9SAbtot9q4nltk2SDBAs-ifXf4TQeG5AD7_piozaH2yQCQaQRVtFDqwR_jgUWqmrW8Yqi7/s640/by+Daniella+Helayel+on+dailymail.co.uk.jpg" width="462" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">source</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwNNQkoRtknlV3AiiqN8h9dRRyCaLOnIprk_hoUC8xWGCUNI2yJSXcB3D7QGk-QoGpUdOPfJBDkTM6iq2axTeJkSxO_vqYHwRQvUSgGJqIl0yOJTPHNuLGsra2IokgqANBcMuy2B_4IpuN/s1600/dr-with-butterflies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwNNQkoRtknlV3AiiqN8h9dRRyCaLOnIprk_hoUC8xWGCUNI2yJSXcB3D7QGk-QoGpUdOPfJBDkTM6iq2axTeJkSxO_vqYHwRQvUSgGJqIl0yOJTPHNuLGsra2IokgqANBcMuy2B_4IpuN/s640/dr-with-butterflies.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> more restrained and curated</span></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibcK_VCzsASkQnKDP1Dr81Lr8vJhhPzc5uSK6U3B_0ZpnfvI7nCBQQQ8nD7xOpromG4e2Kg6GIiNbKaiNrepLa_P7bEk4qeSOEvTrfZasvf7kPPjl5ExBtX70tTtxzZI5QzJgVLNSgxIhm/s1600/martha.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibcK_VCzsASkQnKDP1Dr81Lr8vJhhPzc5uSK6U3B_0ZpnfvI7nCBQQQ8nD7xOpromG4e2Kg6GIiNbKaiNrepLa_P7bEk4qeSOEvTrfZasvf7kPPjl5ExBtX70tTtxzZI5QzJgVLNSgxIhm/s640/martha.png" width="510" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">via my good friend Martha....and look, there are some <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/75055615/collected-new-watercolour-painting">feathers</a> too.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGCbNRjrHfZnpOhE1-z28zaCrh0jh3JQblusHuW9nTJJMYkXWDR12xdeju2p4AcJJumdf9bfyj80gc3SQyMiNiASF8uGihWRvw7EnfoCAAipVXjt8Uv-QfbpZenT1K0KuZr5WsTfOcCLPn/s1600/sr+gambrel+the+hamptons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGCbNRjrHfZnpOhE1-z28zaCrh0jh3JQblusHuW9nTJJMYkXWDR12xdeju2p4AcJJumdf9bfyj80gc3SQyMiNiASF8uGihWRvw7EnfoCAAipVXjt8Uv-QfbpZenT1K0KuZr5WsTfOcCLPn/s640/sr+gambrel+the+hamptons.jpg" width="598" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Now I realise these aren't butterflies, but the repetition and symmetry is what really works here, and those prints could be any subject - botanical, sea plants, specimens....you get my drift. By Stephen Gambrel</span></div><br /><br />Thanks for everyone who emailed over the past few weeks - I'm back in the land of the living again, and I really appreciate your concern. On track again and looking forward to getting stuck in to some new projects - can't wait!<br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85794/shatay01/57292ae3db79c6d939a1f2a85508a076.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

Curiosity Shop

It probably comes as no surprise that I love vintage books. My favourites are those on natural history, and I love scouring dusty old booksh...

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